# Toko

> Toko is an AI-powered English speaking tutor that lets learners hold short, realistic conversations with an AI and get instant feedback on grammar and pronunciation. Founded in 2021 by MIT engineers Jen Liu and Erica Du and backed by Y Combinator (W22), the New York-based app is especially popular across East Asia, with more than 1 million downloads and tens of thousands of five-star reviews.

- **Founded:** 2021
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Founders:** Jen Liu (Co-Founder & CEO), Erica Du (Co-Founder & CTO)
- **Team size:** Small team (~5 core per YC; employee-count aggregators list much higher figures that appear to reflect app/network scale rather than headcount)
- **Products:** Toko AI English Tutor (Mobile App), Conversation Practice Library, In-conversation Tools, Toko Web
- **Notable:** 1M+ downloads worldwide, 30K+ five-star reviews; 4.8-4.9 App Store rating, Top-5 education app in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand

## Products & services

- **Toko AI English Tutor (Mobile App)** — iOS and Android app where learners hold short, realistic English conversations with an AI and get instant feedback on grammar and pronunciation.
- **Conversation Practice Library** — 500-1000+ practice topics spanning work, travel, culture, daily life, and exam prep (TOEFL, FLPT).
- **In-conversation Tools** — Adjustable speech speed, accent options, transcripts, and inline translation to support learners mid-dialogue.
- **Toko Web** — Browser-based access to the same conversational tutoring experience.

## Achievements

- 1M+ downloads worldwide
- 30K+ five-star reviews; 4.8-4.9 App Store rating
- Top-5 education app in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Thailand
- Y Combinator Winter 2022 batch
- Built by MIT engineers with backgrounds at Quizlet, Palantir, Google, and Codecademy

## Latest updates

- **2022-03** — Closed seed round following Y Combinator W22 with investors including AppWorks, GSV Ventures, and Pi Campus.
- **2022-01** — Joined Y Combinator's Winter 2022 batch.

## Links

- Website: https://tokotutor.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tokotutor
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/jenkliu
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tokotutor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tokotutor

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/toko
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-07-02